Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: pseudocyesis: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: pseudocyesis

Sample item

A 38-year-old woman desperate for a child has had amenorrhoea for seven months, abdominal distension, breast enlargement and sensations of fetal movement. Urine hCG is negative and ultrasound shows an empty uterus. What is the condition?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Pseudocyesis

Pseudocyesis is a false belief in pregnancy with real symptoms such as amenorrhoea, abdominal enlargement and breast changes, but no fetus. Medicolegally it matters when a woman claims pregnancy, for example to avoid punishment.

Option by option

  • A. Molar pregnancy

    A molar pregnancy gives a very high hCG and a vesicular pattern on ultrasound.

  • B. Pseudocyesis (correct)

    Correct. Symptoms of pregnancy with negative hCG and an empty uterus indicate pseudocyesis.

  • C. Abdominal pregnancy

    An abdominal pregnancy gives a positive hCG and a fetus outside the uterus.

  • D. Missed abortion

    A missed abortion has a retained dead fetus and previously positive hCG.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Pseudocyesis. Pseudocyesis is a false belief in pregnancy with real symptoms such as amenorrhoea, abdominal enlargement and breast changes, but no fetus.

Why is "Molar pregnancy" not the answer?

A molar pregnancy gives a very high hCG and a vesicular pattern on ultrasound.

Why is "Abdominal pregnancy" not the answer?

An abdominal pregnancy gives a positive hCG and a fetus outside the uterus.

Why is "Missed abortion" not the answer?

A missed abortion has a retained dead fetus and previously positive hCG.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: pseudocyesis in Forensic Medicine. Medicolegally it matters when a woman claims pregnancy, for example to avoid punishment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: pseudocyesis?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.